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FRA1 promotes squamous cell carcinoma growth and metastasis through distinct AKT and c-Jun dependent mechanisms.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Zhang, X; Wu, J; Luo, S; Lechler, T; Zhang, JY
Published in: Oncotarget
June 7, 2016

FRA1 (Fos-like antigen 1) is highly expressed in many epithelial cancers including squamous cell carcinoma of the skin (cSCC) and head and neck (HNSCC). However, the functional importance and the mechanisms mediating FRA1 function in these cancers are not fully understood. Here, we demonstrate that FRA1 gene silencing in HNSCC and cSCC cells resulted in two consequences - impaired cell proliferation and migration. FRA1 regulation of cell growth was distinct from that of c-Jun, a prominent Jun group AP-1 factor. While c-Jun was required for the expression of the G1/S phase cell cycle promoter CDK4, FRA1 was essential for AKT activation and AKT-dependent expression of CyclinB1, a molecule required for G2-M progression. Exogenous expression of a constitutively active form of AKT rescued cancer cell growth defect caused by FRA1-loss. Additionally, FRA1 knockdown markedly slowed cell adhesion and migration, and conversely expression of an active FRA1 mutant (FRA1DD) expedited these processes in a JNK/c-Jun-dependent manner. Through protein and ChIP-PCR analyses, we identified KIND1, a cytoskeletal regulator of the cell adhesion molecule β1-integrin, as a novel FRA1 transcriptional target. Restoring KIND1 expression rescued migratory defects induced by FRA1 loss. In agreement with these in vitro data, HNSCC cells with FRA1 loss displayed markedly reduced rates of subcutaneous tumor growth and pulmonary metastasis. Together, these results indicate that FRA1 promotes cancer growth through AKT, and enhances cancer cell migration through JNK/c-Jun, pinpointing FRA1 as a key integrator of JNK and AKT signaling pathways and a potential therapeutic target for cSCC and HNSCC.

Duke Scholars

Published In

Oncotarget

DOI

EISSN

1949-2553

Publication Date

June 7, 2016

Volume

7

Issue

23

Start / End Page

34371 / 34383

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Head and Neck
  • Skin Neoplasms
  • RNA, Small Interfering
  • RNA Interference
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-jun
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt
  • Neoplasm Proteins
  • Mice
  • Membrane Proteins
 

Citation

APA
Chicago
ICMJE
MLA
NLM
Zhang, X., Wu, J., Luo, S., Lechler, T., & Zhang, J. Y. (2016). FRA1 promotes squamous cell carcinoma growth and metastasis through distinct AKT and c-Jun dependent mechanisms. Oncotarget, 7(23), 34371–34383. https://doi.org/10.18632/oncotarget.9110
Zhang, Xiaoling, Joseph Wu, Suju Luo, Terry Lechler, and Jennifer Y. Zhang. “FRA1 promotes squamous cell carcinoma growth and metastasis through distinct AKT and c-Jun dependent mechanisms.Oncotarget 7, no. 23 (June 7, 2016): 34371–83. https://doi.org/10.18632/oncotarget.9110.
Zhang X, Wu J, Luo S, Lechler T, Zhang JY. FRA1 promotes squamous cell carcinoma growth and metastasis through distinct AKT and c-Jun dependent mechanisms. Oncotarget. 2016 Jun 7;7(23):34371–83.
Zhang, Xiaoling, et al. “FRA1 promotes squamous cell carcinoma growth and metastasis through distinct AKT and c-Jun dependent mechanisms.Oncotarget, vol. 7, no. 23, June 2016, pp. 34371–83. Pubmed, doi:10.18632/oncotarget.9110.
Zhang X, Wu J, Luo S, Lechler T, Zhang JY. FRA1 promotes squamous cell carcinoma growth and metastasis through distinct AKT and c-Jun dependent mechanisms. Oncotarget. 2016 Jun 7;7(23):34371–34383.

Published In

Oncotarget

DOI

EISSN

1949-2553

Publication Date

June 7, 2016

Volume

7

Issue

23

Start / End Page

34371 / 34383

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Head and Neck
  • Skin Neoplasms
  • RNA, Small Interfering
  • RNA Interference
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-jun
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt
  • Neoplasm Proteins
  • Mice
  • Membrane Proteins